The invention concerns surface-cleaning devices. More specifically, the invention concerns the cleaning of large submerged surfaces which offer limited availability for conventional cleaning methods, such as a partly submerged hull of a ship. The invention also concerns a remotely operated underwater vehicle for carrying the cleaning devices.

A ship's hull which is subjected to marine organisms is prone to barnacle growth and general fouling, making the hull surface rough and uneven. This leads to greater friction resistance when the ship is propelled through the water, which in turn means a significant increase in fuel consumption. It is known that a 1% increase in friction causes approximately a 3% fuel consumption increase. Frequent hull cleaning is therefore required, both from economical and environmental points of view.

Developing suitable and practical cleaning equipment for large surfaces, such as ships' hulls, is a considerable challenge, partly due to the hulls' limited accessibility when submerged in water.

Also, ships' hulls are commonly coated with toxic paints, containing organic tin compounds. Such compounds should not be dislodged from the hull, as they may contaminate the surrounding marine life. It is therefore desirable to use cleaning equipment that removes impurities (fouling, etc.) from the hull but damages the hull paint as little as possible.

The state of the art includes a number of devices for cleaning large surfaces, such as ships' hulls, comprising both the use of brushes and spraying with pressurized water through nozzles. Some devices have nozzles arranged on rotatable members, some have the nozzles arranged on an arm or on a ring-shaped member, while others have the nozzles arranged on a solid disc.

US 4 926 775 discloses a cleaning device intended for use on mainly vertical surfaces under water. The apparatus comprises nozzles, arranged on a rotary disc, to spray water under high pressure against a surface. The rotational axis of the disc is mainly perpendicular to the surface to be cleaned. The nozzles are arranged obliquely, in order to provide the spraying water with a tangential motion component, leading to a reactive force that sets the disc in rotation. In addition one or more of the nozzles are directed away from the surface to be cleaned in order to maintain the apparatus in a position close to the same surface.

WO 2005/044657 discloses a device for cleaning under-water surfaces, such as ships' hulls. The device comprises a rotary disc having nozzles for discharging pressurized liquid against the surface to be cleaned. The nozzles are mounted obliquely in relation to the rotational axis of the rotary disc and are arranged to be supplied with pressurized liquid through a hollow spindle that is concentric with the rotational axis.

The state of the art also includes remotely operated vehicles (commonly referred to as an ROV) for carrying hull cleaning devices. One example is disclosed by KR 2008/0093536 A, describing an underwater robot for cleaning and inspecting a ship hull.

The robot comprises wheels for rolling on the submerged hull, vertical/horizontal thrusters to induce movement in the vertical and horizontal directions, and a water jet spraying device. The robot wheels are driven by motor, whereby the robot is driven along the ship hull. The robot is remotely controlled from a console (above water), via an umbilical cable.

Another example of an ROV-carried hull cleaning device is disclosed by US 4 462 328, describing a carriage with wheels for travelling along the ship hull and having a plurality of cleaning nozzles and a reactor nozzle aligned to produce a reactive force which opposed the force component of the cleaning nozzles which tends to urge the carriage away from the hull of a ship.

It is an object of this invention to provide cleaning device and vehicle which is more efficient and simpler to operate that those of the prior art.

The invention is defined by the features of independent claim 1, while the dependent claims describe preferred characteristics of the invention.

In one preferred embodiment, the trimming means of the first pair are arranged in a plane which is parallel with the vehicle's y-z plane, and a distance away from the centre of gravity; and the trimming means of the second pair are arranged in the x-y plane and along the x axis.

In one preferred embodiment, first buoyancy means are arranged on a first external side of the vehicle and second buoyancy means are arranged on a second external side of the vehicle, on the opposite side of side first side.

In one preferred embodiment, each of the trimming means comprise closed and mutually isolated compartments, each such compartment being partly filled with a substance having a specific gravity greater than one. The substance may comprise a liquid, such as mercury, or a powder.

In a preferred embodiment, each trimming means comprise a sealed and isolated compartment. In one embodiment, the first trimming means comprise tubular elements, each element extending substantially the width of the vehicle.

In one preferred embodiment, each first trimming means comprises two slanted regions interconnected by a level central region. In one embodiment, the displacement region is in the slanted region.

The first trimming means are in one embodiment arranged in region of the second buoyancy means, and the second trimming means are arranged on opposite sides of the centre of gravity and concentric with the x axis.

The underwater vehicle is preferably a neutrally buoyant ROV and is configured for carrying and operating at least one cleaning device according to the invention, or a cleaning apparatus according to the invention.

The skilled person will understand that movable weights constitute an equivalent variant of the trim tanks described above. That each, the liquid or powder filled trim tanks may be replaced by astable and movable trim weights that are configured to move a predetermined distance.

These and other characteristics of the invention will be clear from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example, with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the cleaning robot according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a front view of the cleaning robot illustrated in figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a plan view of the cleaning robot illustrated in figure 1; seen from below;
• Figure 4 is another perspective view of the cleaning robot;
• Figure 5 is a perspective view of the cleaning robot according to the invention, with certain components removed to illustrate internal components of the robot;
• Figure 6 is a perspective view similar to that in figure 5, but with yet further components removed;
• Figure 7 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the cleaning apparatus according to the invention;
• Figures 8 and 9 are plan views of a cleaning device, seen from opposite sides;
• Figure 10 is a section drawing along the section line A-A in figure 8;
• Figure 11 is a section drawing along the section line B-B in figure 9;
• Figures 12 and 13 are perspective views of an embodiment of the cleaning disk according to the invention;
• Figure 14 is a plan view of the cleaning disk illustrated in figures 12 and 13;
• Figure 15 is a section drawing along the section line C-C in figure 14;
• Figure 16 is an enlarged view of the region marked "D" in figure 15;
• Figure 17 is a perspective drawing of another embodiment of the cleaning disk according to the invention;
• Figure 18 is a section drawing along the section line E-E in figure 17;
• Figure 19 is a section drawing showing another embodiment of the disk hole;
• Figure 20 is a schematic sketch of the cleaning robot, in the x-z plane;
• Figure 21 is a schematic sketch of the cleaning robot, in the x-y plane:
• Figure 22 is an end view, taken at the section line A-A in figure 20; and
• Figure 23 is an end view, taken at the section line B-B in figure 20.

Referring initially to figure 1 and figure 2, the cleaning robot 1 in the illustrated embodiment basically comprises a tubular frame 7 carrying a cleaning apparatus 40. The cleaning robot 1 is a neutrally buoyant ROV being remotely controlled by an umbilical 6. The umbilical 6 holds power cables and control cables and extend to power and control units (not shown), located for example on a ship or barge on the water surface. The umbilical 6 also holds power and control cables, as well as liquid supply and return hoses, for operation of the cleaning apparatus 40.

A coordinate system has been defined for the ROV 1, the axes of which intersect the ROV's centre of gravity (CG; see also figures 20 and 21), and where the x axis defines a roll axis; the y axis defines a pitch axis; and the z axis defined a yaw axis. When floating in the water in the state shown in figures 1 and 2, the z axis points upwards and the ROV has an upper side 5a, to which the umbilical 6 and a lifting padeye 4 are attached, and a lower side 5b where wheels 8a,b (shown also in figures 3 and 4) are attached. The terms "upper" and "lower" are relative terms, as the ROV may assume any orientation in the water. In the following, therefore, the upper side in figure 1 is denoted the first side 5a, and the lower side in figure 1 is denoted the second side 5b.

The ROV 1 is furnished with thrusters 2, 3, which is used to control the ROV in the water, in a manner which is well known to the skilled person. These thrusters are electrically powered in the illustrated embodiment, but may also be hydraulically powered, but in a manner and with equipment which are well known in the art. The operation of an ROV per se is well known and will therefore not be discussed further.

Referring now additionally to figures 3 and 4, wheels 8a, 8b are attached to the ROV's second side 5b. The front wheels 8b are a pair of caster wheels. In operation, when the ROV is used for cleaning a submerged surface, such as the submerged portion of a ship's hull, the ROV is rolling along the hull on the wheels 8a, 8b, and being pressed against the hull side by the thrusters 2. Movement along the hull is provided by one or more of the thrusters 3. The wheels thus provide an undercarriage and a rolling support for the ROV against the ship's hull. The cleaning apparatus 40, which in the illustrated embodiment comprises three cleaning devices 60, also comprise wheels 61 for supporting the cleaning apparatus 60 at a predetermined distance from the ship's hull.

Referring now additionally to figures 5, 6, 20, 21, 22 and 23, buoyancy elements in the form of panels are attached to both sides of the ROV. An upper (or first) buoyancy element 9 is attached to the first side 5a and a lower (or second) buoyancy element 11 is attached to the second side 5b. The ROV is thus neutrally buoyant in water, and only a small force from the vertical thrusters 2 (and/or the lateral thrusters 3) will be required to move the ROV up or down.

The first buoyancy element 9 provides more buoyancy than the second buoyancy element 11, such that the centre of buoyancy (CB) is located above the CG when the ROV has the attitude as shown in figures 1 and 2. As the skilled person will know, small ROVs are easily perturbed due to underwater currents. Therefore, in order to improve the control of the ROV in its neutral-buoyancy state, and to improve ROV's stability in the range of orientations it may have (when cleaning the vertical, or near vertical, hull) and thus enhance the cleaning operation, the ROV comprises pairs of trim tanks 10a,b, 12a,b, which will be described in the following.

A pair of first, transverse, trim tanks 10a,b are arranged in a plane which is parallel with the ROV's y-z plane and a distance away from the CG, and a pair of second trim tanks 12a,b are arranged in the x-y plane and on the x axis.

In the illustrated embodiment, the pair of first trim tanks 10a,b are made of tubular profiles, each one extending substantially the width of the ROV, and are arranged in on the ROV's second side, near the second buoyancy elements 11. Each first trim tank comprises a generally level central portion 16 (generally parallel with the x-y plane) and inclined portions 17 on both sides of the central portion This position of the trim tanks 10a,b provides a moment arm which enhances ROV manoeuvrability. The pair of second trim tanks 12a,b are arranged on opposite sides of the centre of gravity, and concentric with the x axis.

Each trim tank 10a,b, 12a,b are closed compartments, sealed and isolated from each other. Each trim tank is partly filled (preferably 5% to 15% of tank volume) with a substance 15, such as a liquid or a powder (see figures 22, 23), having a specific gravity greater than 1. One suitable substance is liquid mercury. It can be seen from figures 22 and 23 that the substance 15 has available volume in which to be displaced when the ROV is subjected to a perturbation.

As mentioned above, the upper buoyancy element 9 provides more buoyancy than the lower element 11. When the ROV is floating horizontally in the water (e.g. as in figure 1), the trim substance is at rest and the ROV is stable in the water. When the ROV is accelerating in a plane or changes its attitude, the trim substance in each trim tank will be displaced due to gravity and inertia, and always keep the CG of the ROV below its CB. The trim substances are separate, movable masses, that each is astable with respect to the ROV frame. Due to the action of the astable trim substances, therefore, the ROV will always be stable, irrespective of the orientation of the ROV in the water. That is, the ROV's CB will always be above the ROV's CG, irrespective of the ROV's orientation and attitude.
The partly filled trim tanks 10a,b, 12a,b thus constitute autonomous trimming apparatuses in that the trim tanks' individual centre of gravity is automatically shifted when the ROV is accelerating or changes its orientation in the water.

The cleaning apparatus 40 will now be described in more detail, with reference to figures 7 - 19.

As illustrated by figure 7, the cleaning apparatus 40 comprises in the illustrated embodiment three identical cleaning units 60, each furnished with supports for wheels 61 (see e.g. figure 4) and connected via a respective hinge 64 to a central housing 41. The housing is connected the ROV by fastening means (not shown).

Referring additionally to figures 8 and 9, each cleaning unit 60 comprises a cleaning disk 80 arranged in a housing 62 and rotatably supported in the housing by a spindle 67. The cleaning disk 80 is rotated about it axis of rotation (r) by a drive motor 63, which may be electrically or hydraulically powered, in a manner which per se is known in the art. The spindle 67 comprises a bore 66, through which cleaning fluid is fed into the cleaning disk (described further below).

Each cleaning unit 60 also comprises outflow openings 65 through which liquid is expelled from inside the housing 62 when the unit is in operation. Each outflow opening 65 is fluidly connected to a corresponding inflow opening 45 on the central housing 41, preferably via flexible hoses (not shown). The wide arrows in figure 7 indicate liquid flow direction when the unit is in operation.

The central housing 41 holds a motor and a pump (not shown), by means of which liquid is extracted from the outflow openings 65, into the inflow opening 45 and returned to a reservoir (not shown) via a hose (not shown) connected to the return flow opening 42. The return hose is bundled together with control cables and power cables in the umbilical 6 (cf. figure 1)

Referring additionally to figures 10 - 14, the cleaning disk 80 is arranged in the housing 62, thus forming a cavity 70. The distance d between the disk perimeter and the housing wall is determined such that the liquid leakage between the cavity 70 and the ambient water is as low as possible; a typical value being 12 mm.

The cleaning disk comprises a gear wheel 68 for connection to the above mentioned motor 63. The cleaning disk also comprises a number of nozzles 82 (in the illustrated embodiment: four) arranged at regular intervals around the disk periphery. Each nozzle 82 is connected to the bore 66 via a respective channel 80, in a manner which per se in known in the art. Cleaning fluid is thus supplied under pressure from an external source (not shown), via the bore and channels, and ejected through each nozzle. The nozzles 82 are arranged such that the cleaning liquid is ejected more or less radially from the disk, and inclined downwardly (see e.g. figure 10), out from the housing 62 such that the cleaning liquid will impinge the adjacent hull surface which is being cleaned. The pressure with which the cleaning liquid is supplied to the nozzles is dimensioned to suit the properties of the surface which is to be cleaned. For example, a pressure of 50 bar is suitable for silicone anti-fouling, while a pressure of 450 bar is suitable for hard-coating.

The cleaning disk 80 furthermore comprises a number of openings, or holes, 83, extending between the disk's inner side 80b and its outer side 80a (the outer side 80a being the side facing the hull when the unit is in operation). The holes 83 are arranged at regular intervals around the disk. The number and size of the holes are determined in relation to the disk diameter, depending on the intended use. When the disk is rotating, the holes serve as liquid transfer ports, transporting liquid from the disk's outer side to the inner side and into the cavity 70, from which it is evacuated through the outflow openings 65, as described above.

The holes also counteract the capillary forces occurring when the disk is rotating (creating suction between the disk and the ship's hull), thus allowing a higher rotational speed than what would the possible with a solid disk. The invented disk may operate at speeds around 600 - 700 rpm without developing noticeable suction forces.

A region of the cleaning disk's outer side 80a - where it is not perforated by the holes 83 - comprises a concave region 85. This concavity mitigates to a certain extent the suction that develops in the central region of the disk.

The cleaning disk's outer side 80a also comprises a number of ridges 84 that extend radially from the disk's central region towards its periphery. Every other ridge extends between adjacent holes, and every other ridge extends to a hole. The ridges are tapered, with a height gradually reducing towards the disk periphery. The ridges function as blades, or vanes, imparting a swirling motion to the liquid. This improves the cleaning action.

Referring figure 17, the holes 83 may be furnished with vanes 87, arranged radially with respect to the disk 80. The vanes 87 may be aligned with the disk rotational axis of set at an angle (indicated by dotted and solid lines, respectively, in figure 18), to further improve the liquid transfer through the holes. Figure 19 shows yet another embodiment of the holes, having slant walls.

The following is a numerical example, for one cleaning unit with one disk: Disk diameter (mm) 480 Concavity (mm) 8 Number of holes 8 Hole diameter (mm) 70 Rotational speed (rpm) 600 Number of nozzles 4 Cleaning liquid feed pressure (bar) 350/450 Cleaning liquid flow rate (litres/minute) 135/80

Although the invention has been described above in relation to a ship's hull, it should be understood that the invention is equally applicable for operation on any submerged surface, such as any floating vessel, and underwater walls or structures of any kind.